This invention relates to an apparatus and method for stopping, containing and responding to oil spills. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for rapid deployment of a form fitted skin under and around the hull of a ship that is spilling oil.
Oil spillage by oil transportation ships is becoming a common event around the world. The majority of this spillage results from damaged hulls. Rapid repsonse to these spills is crucial to success of containment. Specifically, working within a tide and current time table, as soon as the hull has been penetrated time is of the essence. Rapid response to an oil spill increases the possibilities of reduced spillage and reduced harm to the environment. Thus, a need exists for an apparatus and method to respond quickly to oil spills. Further, the need exists to contain and stop the oil spills once they have started.
One type of system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,097 to Beyrouty. There, an on-board oil spill "prevention" and recovery system employs a plurality of oil sorbent pillows. Pillows are released into the oil holding tank and an oil sorbent boom is deployed when a puncture in the ship's hull occurs. However, this system has the disadvantage of requiring recovery of any pillows which fall through the ruptured hull. Also, the sorbent boom functions the same way as those booms which are known in the prior art. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,657 to Cunningham et al. wherein an oil boom with adsorbent material disposed thereon collects oil from contaminated water. Other methods for sealing holes from the inside of the hull are disclosed in Russian disclosure 1,306,806 and German Patent 246,898.
Also known are devices for emergency repair of ship hulls to prevent the ship from sinking. U.S. Pat. No. 373,133 to Duncan, U.S. Pat. No. 1,070,260 to Jameson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,876 to Kronhaus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,684 to Gerardi and U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,233 to Cox all disclose tarps, covers or sheaths to encase a portion or all of the hull of a boat or ship which has a hole, rent, opening, crack or breach. Each of these devices is designed to provide a water-tight barrier to prevent water from entering the vessel. However, none of them disclose a device that prevents oil or other cargo from leaving the ship or vessel.
A slightly different variation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,573,909 to Blumberg. Blumberg discloses use of a mattress to cover a hole in the hull of a ship or boat. The mattress also comprises a means for allowing a pipe or hose through the mattress for the purpose of pumping water out of the hull. The mattress does not cover the entire hull of the ship.
In the manner described below, this invention overcomes the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of the devices and methods currently known in the art. The invention provides an apparatus and method to surround a damaged oil transportation vessel with a snug fitting skin to plug any holes in the hull with a water tight seal. It is the only device known to the applicant which will allow a damaged oil transportation ship to be towed or moved prior to emptying of the oil holding tanks. This result stems from the invention providing a method and apparatus to not only respond rapidly to contain an oil spill, but also stop the oil spill.
This invention is an inexpensive option compared other to ideas considered concerning oil spills. For example, the U.S. Congress is considering requiring oil transportation ships to have a double hull, which is one hull inside another. This suggestion has expensive fuel and capacity considerations. Also, a double hull does not prevent an oil spill. Thus, while a double hull will lessen the damage to the hull of a ship and impliedly reduce oil spillage, employment of double hull in the existing fleet of ships is unlikely in the foreseeable future. The invention described herein gives oil shippers an option to avoid expensive modifications to existing ships.